This Cooperative was independently seeking and developing many of the collaborative online tools, outlined governance models, and resource-sharing strategies, which have now been found in the MAN! The effect is akin to a time-warp, bringing us presently ready to engage regional membership, create, grow and road-test these elements in a mutually supportive global environment. Starting from urban gardening and a worker-cooperative local grocery store, we are now contacting and educating current and former members of Fertile Underground about HUMANs. Our already common trades, barters, exchanges, and work parties are a stepping point for integrating into the MAN processes and technologies, to gain a wider reach, and potentially involve many more people, projects and resources in our activity. Read more…

Based in the Neighborhood Health Centers of the Lehigh Valley, The Mutual Aid Network of the Lehigh Valley (MANLV) will utilize the mission and core values of Time Banking to develop and sustain a network of reciprocity, social support, and increased community engagement. Read more…

The micro-bioregion containing and surrounding Lansing, Michigan is to become the Mid-Michigan Mutual Aid Network (MMMAN). Lansing, the Capital City of the US State of Michigan, is home to a number of cooperative New Economy initiatives, including the Mid-Michigan Time Bank, the Lansing Maker’s Network, the Capital Village Trade Cooperative, the Greater Lansing Food Bank, and others. The region is ideally situated to conduct an asset mapping project with which to inventory and evaluate its considerable natural, agricultural, manufacturing, energy, transportation, intellectual, cultural, and social resources. Read more…

Solidarity Economy St. Louis is a coalition of social justice organizations, small businesses, and individuals striving to build and grow a “solidarity economy”; that is, an economy that embodies the values of social justice, ecological sustainability, mutualism, cooperation, democracy, and innovation while resisting the notion of “every person for themselves.” The work of our pilot site consists of three components: coalition and base building, campaign work, and capacity building to support the work of individual members. Read more…

Hull has developed a new vision for tackling poverty that concentrates on long term cultural change as opposed to short term, fragmented response. This approach draws on the time and assets of local people and organisations in a community wide response. Each society has under used resources, e.g time/buildings and unmet need for these same things. The solution will link these units through mutual aid, co-production and ownership, inclusion, collaboration and social innovation and build a second layer collaborative economy where these values are practised and embedded in organisational culture, creating opportunities for citizens to co-produce and access goods and services independently from local and central government. Read more…

Bergnek, South Africa has been selected to be among the first eight pilot sites of a new worldwide group of Mutual Aid Networks. The BIG challenges in the Bergnek Community are the total lack of access to Water, Food, Education, Employmen. Read more…

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Testimonials:

The best part of my job as Creative Director of Mutual Aid Networks is reminding people that we can dream bigger and better than we’re used to, that we don’t need to be bound by a scarcity mindset, and working together we can make our big dreams into reality.
- Stephanie Rearick, Madison, WI